I Want to encourage you . . . to take the time to read this . . . . . please

This post was first written 3 years ago. It helps new readers to go back to the beginning. It helps to remind me how far we’ve come.

This blog has a story, like chapters in a book. To understand what happens to a life in prison you need to go to the beginning. If you don’t know the beginning then the end doesn’t mean as much. I have gotten so many thoughtful posts from people that brought tears to my eyes.

There is a history that progresses. 2010 is the earliest posted, but there will be more going back to 2006 as our relationship began. But if you read only one post, it is like opening up a book in the middle and then closing it. Jamie’s life is worth reading about and it will open your eyes to our prison injustice system, prison politics and the fact there really is no justice in prison, or our police force.

There are many reasons why we have so many prisons stocked with so many black people, and now immigrants. It’s a sad story, a testament of how we treat people we feel threatened by for some reason. We used to send immigrants back across the border, but not anymore. New prisons are now auctioned off to the highest bidder with the promise of an endless stream of inmates corporations can make money from imprisoning. Some businesses have closed up shop and relocated inside our prisons because inmate labor is so cheap. Exploiting human beings is something American corporations figured out a long time ago.

This is why we have the prison population we do. It isn’t that blacks commit more crimes, or Hispanics have done anything worse than anyone else who lives here. Immigrants come here under the illusion they might survive here it easier than in their home country. We are all humans beings who want our families to be safe and fed. But we are having a hard time providing for our own families so they aren’t welcome in what is left of the land of plenty. But we can use them in other ways for profit. It is the American way. The perfect example of that is the slave trade, only the slave trade never ended. It just changed names.

Our prison system has a use for people who don’t have white privilege. Walking while black, driving while black, and risking your life to come to this country is a good enough reason to fill the demand for prisoners needed by the prison industrial complex. Every few days I see another video of the way our police force deals with the black community. Taser and mace first. Ask questions later, maybe. The black population has a right to be very angry. I am scared for two of my grandsons who I know will have to confront this. I am white and they are black. It is easy to be white and say you aren’t racist – until it enters your life. Then you start to understand what generations of black people have always known.

I fight for this man you see below. Fight to see the day when he is paroled, if he is ever paroled. I want him to have a fighting chance to have a life he was never allowed to have, from the day he was 16 and was put in juvy – a nine month sentence that lasted more than four years. This is a good man I have been writing to since he was in about a year and a half, and that started the end of 2006. He deserves a chance to have a life and to help raise his son. Please, please, share this blog with your own social media and help me, help him and my grandsons.

Jamie Cummings in Prison Whites

Think of this as a serial. You can also follow it through email if you aren’t on WordPress. This way each new post shows in your inbox. On the right hand side if you scroll down you will find links that will take you off this site. They are links to websites with specific information. It could be about the juvenile population that is locked up, or about the elderly, or solitary confinement. They give you more information on different topics.

When I began this blog it was because I wanted to find out why we only have 5% of the world’s population but imprison 25% of the world’s prisoners. Does our country have more criminals or do we make a strong effort to criminalize as many actions as we can, and give extremely long sentences for a reason? Those who seek power and money have turned our prisons into money making machines who exact cruel and unusual punishment on many of the slaves imprisoned. It has warped the way our country does business by letting businesses bid on contracts using inmates to manufacture items we use every day.

As you read you will begin to understand what kind of country we have become. This has been evident through much of our history, but has reached epidemic proportions. These American companies need to be made public so you can see who represents what the past plantations owners started. You would be shocked if you saw the list. Why pay someone even minimum wage when you can get it made practically for free.

I want to thank everyone so much for taking the time to leave the responses they have. It encourages me to keep writing.

Jamie’s story has been read in 135+ countries and that astounds me. It has truly made all of us one globe community. When Jamie gets out, sometime between now and 2023, he will be seeing a world greatly changed, with people who care about him and many who don’t. I believe something very positive will come of this and you will know you helped to do something that affected the life of another human being who will go on to affect many more. Thank You!

“The only legacy anyone can really leave behind when they leave this earth, is the effect they had on other people’s lives. That is what lives on. The making of that cause will have an effect on your own life.” A way of ‘paying it forward.’

Like this:

37 thoughts on “I Want to encourage you . . . to take the time to read this . . . . . please”

Comment navigation

I am amazed at and astounded by the cruelty of the American prison system.I always imagined things were fairer there than elsewhere.I always thought the United States stood up for the underdog.Can I send Jamie an email,perhaps?Is it at JPay.com?I am not very techno savvy,and would really appreciate a little guidance on how to email him?I don’t have a WordPress blog..I notice you are following mine!A dear friend just set it up for me one day,hoping it would encourage me to write,but I really have nothing to say to the world..reading blogs like yours on WordPress helps open up my mind and heart.

When you get information that creates your view of the world I know, that at least here in the US or news that comes from the US has little to do with truth. The very few corporations that own the media can print what they want and there are no repercussions, so when things are said over and over people end up thinking what they are hearing is truth, and it rarely is. It is what ever benefits the corporations. They also buy the politicians who vote they way they are paid. It is the people who lose. Prisons are big business. So many products are made by inmates that the people are totally unaware of, but they get away with pay inmates 22 cents to $2 and hour depending on the skills needed. Some states, like Texas pay inmates zero. They say they give them good time to get out early, but they usually end up taking it away for some infraction they write them up for.

Unfortunately he hasn’t been able to hear it, but he knows about it. Awhile back I started a page piano music links ( tap on the menu button ) but I revised it. It’s the last one on the list and says “Sonni Quick Improvisational Music” There are about ten pieces there. I’d like to offer it with the book somehow, but there is still a lot of editing to do with those with a sound engineer. These are my dreams. Reach for the stars and even if you only land on the moon you’ve gone pretty far! Ain’t life grand?

Nice post. I was checking constantly this weblog and I am inspired!
Very helpful info particularly the closing phase 🙂 I take care of such information a lot.
I used to be seeking this certain information for a very long time.

Thank you Jaynie for your kind words. I hope to see you back. There is another blog where I am posting excerpts of chapters I’m writing for the book “Inside the Forbidden Outside”. You can also find info about it through a google search.

My heart trembles reading about American prison industrial complex. The evil and the meticulousness are something that never stops to amaze me. Thank you for giving us some hope that one day this will cease.

I will do everything I am humanly capable of doing to wake up the closed minds of people who are content with sticking their head in the sand that thinks the problem belongs to someone else, or die trying. For a country that professes that we were founded on Christian principles ( which isn’t true in the first place) the hatred people have and the justifications they give for spreading hate and biases against people not like themselves is deplorable.

John – for whatever reason, it wouldn’t let me post my comment to you. Gonna try again. EJI – Equal Justice Initiative – I joined them last year. I wrote a long reply to you – too long – so I decided to turn it into a post.

Copyright

Posts From My blog: Watch and Whirl: Sonni Quick

I love myself I think I’m grand I go to the movies and I hold my hand. I put my arm around my waist and when I’m fresh I slap my face! A little ditty my mother taught me that my grandmother taught her . <<< >>> This was an early blog post 4 […]

DANCE WITH THE DEVIL Lurking in back of my eyes Tasting the smells, seeing the ghosts No matter how often I tried Which memories shame me the most It reminds me of where I’ve been And how many miles I’ve gone I tied it up in a garbage bag And kept on walking alone […]

Right now I’m sitting at the Amtrak station at Ft Lauderdale, FL. I love riding the train, up or down the coast every month. I should already be on the train, the 8:50 AM train heading up the coast, but my ride to the station got me here 5 minutes late and I watched the […]

This is my newest music video. I hope you enjoy it. This music piece has quickly become one of my fastest rising improvisations currently playing on 3 streaming sites, as well as a variety of other social media sites. When someone likes my music it is the best feeling for me. My recordings are […]

Happy New Years – I think. I mean, that is what we’re supposed to say, isn’t it? We say it every year, until the illusion passes and we go back to work and the kids go back to school, broken toys in the corner of their room.

How to find me everywhere

This has been a year of writing music - which can be found on either of my blogs, mynameisjamie.net and watchandwhirl.com. and at the website soundcloud.com/sonni-quick/set/stories-without-words
There are other music websites listed if you'd like to follow my music and know when a new piece has been added.
also been a year of writing and learning how to write - the book I am writing "Inside The Forbidden Outside" , the story of Jamie Cummings and his life from juvenile detention to prison. I also publish a monthly newsletter - ITFO - on happenings inside the prison industry. There are ways to subscribe on the blog and at facebook at jamielifeinprison